{"id":7508,"date":"2022-01-22T08:19:36","date_gmt":"2022-01-22T07:19:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/waltin.se\/josefinwaltinspinner\/?p=7508"},"modified":"2022-01-22T08:19:40","modified_gmt":"2022-01-22T07:19:40","slug":"a-sore-thumb","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/waltin.se\/josefinwaltinspinner\/a-sore-thumb\/","title":{"rendered":"A sore thumb"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This week a journal entry, writer’s block, migraine and a sore thumb led me to bold decisions, new perspectives and beautiful insights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A sore thumb<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I have been spinning my Icelandic fleece quite frequently lately. The other day I felt some soreness in my left thumb. Minuscule, really. A flap of skin was loose on my finger print and I realized that to keep spinning that wool \u2013 in the grease<\/a>, I might add \u2013 while the skin was sore and reddened wouldn’t be the best idea. I got a bit sad. After all, I had worked out a process for this wool that worked very well<\/a> and I had reached a soft flow in my spinning. A migraine restricted most other activities than slow and mindful crafting for the next few days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Writer’s block<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the same time I was looking for something to write for this week’s blog post. I usually work with a blog post during most days of the week. On Saturday morning I finally publish it. A void crystallizes itself and on some level I miss what I have just written, just as I miss a spinning project when the basket is empty<\/a>. The process I have been working on and growing in suddenly becomes a product with the press of a button.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sans a lot<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

My hands and my mind still need to write, but it does take some effort and recharging to come up with an idea for a new post. So, I was sans spinning and sans blog idea. Also sans capacity to do much else than activities that didn’t require moving my head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Morning journaling is a treasured moment for me.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I do free write every morning in my dawn journal and exercise my writing muscles daily. The other day I was scribbling away as the day broke, about crafting and creativity. I reflected over how creativity creates more creativity as I am in the moment, calming bouncy ideas that want my attention, making them less elusive and more mellow. How I am in the creating and the creating is in me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Enter: Idea (with tart tone)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Half an hour or so later an idea knocked gingerly on the inside of my skull, hoping to get out in the air. It said (with a slightly tart tone, I might add): “Why don’t you change hands<\/a>? Like you always tell your students to do? That way you get to spin without making the sore thumb worse and you will have something to blog about.” Well, that’s<\/em> a thought. It will also enable me to spin through the migraine and experience what I torment my students with when I ask them to change hands. The idea was just the kind of idea that I had been writing about that same morning, an idea that had matured in my mind through spinning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is actually my favourite kind of blog writing process. I spin a bit, get an idea during the spinning process and write it down. As the idea gets clad in linguistic splendour \u2013 preferably with sparkles \u2013 I understand more and try my new baby reflection at the wheel or spindle. I realize more and need to put that into writing too. The process of theory and practice in spinning is something I treasure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Changing hands for ergonomics<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to spindles \u2013 supported, suspended, floor supported and in-hand \u2013 I have no problem changing hands. I always choose the hand that is most effective for the spinning direction I have chosen (read about spinning direction and ergonomics here<\/a> and watch a free webinar in spindle spinning here<\/a>). Ever since I realized its implications for spinning I have practiced this and feel rich with the opportunities it gives me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This summer I practiced changing hands when I spun flax on my spinning wheel with a makeshift parasol stand floor distaff that I placed alternately to the left and right of me for a more ergonomic and balanced working position. All this has been first and foremost to work with my body and avoid strain in hands, arms and shoulders. I have also raved to my students about the benefits of understanding the work of<\/strong><\/em> both hands through<\/strong><\/em> both hands. But when it comes to my own default wheel spinning I have never seen any ergonomic benefit of changing hands and therefore never practiced it. Until now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hand habits<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

So what do the hands really do? Well, the two hands have two primary tasks in spinning:<\/p>\n\n\n\n